Lower leg airbag module for vehicle
阅读说明:本技术 用于车辆的小腿安全气囊组件 (Lower leg airbag module for vehicle ) 是由 C-H·林 Y-P·程 P·E·克拉热夫斯基 于 2019-06-04 设计创作,主要内容包括:一种包括配置为连接到车辆的车辆地板的安全气囊的安全气囊组件。所述安全气囊在存放位置和展开位置之间可移动。在所述存放位置,所述安全气囊被放气。在所述展开位置,安全气囊被充气并且与车辆地板间隔开以在安全气囊和车辆地板之间限定孔。所述孔的大小能够容纳车辆乘员的脚,从而在当外力施加在所述车辆上时限制所述车辆乘员的所述腿的移动。(An airbag assembly includes an airbag configured to be attached to a vehicle floor of a vehicle. The airbag is movable between a stowed position and a deployed position. In the stowed position, the airbag is deflated. In the deployed position, the airbag is inflated and spaced apart from the vehicle floor to define a hole between the airbag and the vehicle floor. The aperture is sized to receive a foot of a vehicle occupant to limit movement of the leg of the vehicle occupant when an external force is applied to the vehicle.)
1. An airbag assembly comprising:
an airbag configured to be connected to a vehicle floor of a vehicle;
wherein the airbag is movable between a stowed position and a deployed position;
wherein, in the stowed position, the airbag is deflated;
wherein, in the deployed position, the airbag is inflated and spaced apart from the vehicle floor to define an aperture between the airbag and the vehicle floor; and
wherein the aperture is sized to receive a foot of a vehicle occupant to limit movement of the leg of the vehicle occupant when an external force is applied to the vehicle.
2. The airbag assembly of claim 1, wherein the airbag defines an airbag first end directly connected to the vehicle floor and an airbag second end opposite the airbag first end, the airbag second end directly connected to the vehicle floor, the airbag first end spaced from the airbag second end to define the aperture when the airbag is deployed.
3. The airbag assembly of claim 2, further comprising at least one tether interconnecting the airbag and the vehicle floor to control the height of the airbag as it deploys.
4. The airbag assembly of claim 3, wherein the airbag has a round tube shape in the deployed position.
5. The airbag assembly of claim 3, wherein the airbag has a rectangular shape in the deployed position.
6. The airbag assembly of claim 3, wherein the airbag has a triangular shape in the deployed position.
7. The airbag assembly of claim 3, wherein the airbag in the deployed position is extendable along an entire width of the vehicle floor.
8. The airbag assembly of claim 3, wherein the airbag includes a first tube, a second tube, and a chamber disposed between the first tube and the second tube, and in the deployed position, the first tube and the second tube may be at an oblique angle relative to one another.
9. The airbag assembly of claim 8, wherein the chamber is adapted to be adjacent the vehicle floor and directly interconnect the first and second tubes such that the first and second tubes are spaced apart from one another upon deployment of the airbag.
10. The airbag assembly of claim 8, wherein the chamber is spaced from the vehicle floor and directly interconnects the first and second tubes such that the first and second tubes are spaced apart from one another when the airbag is deployed.
Disclosure of Invention
Vehicle systems are described that include an airbag assembly for protecting a lower region of a leg of one or more vehicle occupants. The vehicle system may be a driver operated vehicle, a Shared Autonomous Vehicle (SAV), or an Autonomous Vehicle (AV). In shared autonomous vehicles and autonomous vehicles, the seating arrangement may allow vehicle occupants to face-to-face. In other words, the vehicle seats of the vehicle system allow vehicle occupants to face each other. This seat arrangement is sometimes referred to as a bonfire seat configuration. In such a seat arrangement, the legs of the vehicle occupant may swing upward when the vehicle system is subjected to an external force. It is desirable to minimize the swinging motion of the legs to protect the lower regions of the legs of the vehicle occupant. To this end, the invention describes an airbag assembly configured to restrict movement of a leg portion (particularly the lower region) of a vehicle occupant when the vehicle is subjected to an external force. In particular, the airbag module of the present invention prevents over-extension of the knees of a vehicle occupant when the vehicle system is subjected to an external force.
An airbag assembly is described that includes an airbag assembly configured to be attached to a vehicle floor of a vehicle. The airbag is movable between a stowed position and a deployed position. In the stowed position the air-bag is deflated. In the deployed position, the airbag is inflated and spaced apart from the vehicle floor to define a hole between the airbag and the vehicle floor. The aperture is sized to receive a foot of a vehicle occupant, thereby restricting movement of the vehicle occupant's leg when an external force is applied to the vehicle. The airbag defines an airbag first end and an airbag second end opposite the airbag first end. The airbag first end is directly connected to the vehicle floor. The airbag second end is directly connected to the vehicle floor. The airbag first end is spaced from the airbag second end to define an aperture upon deployment of the airbag. The airbag assembly may further include at least one tether interconnecting the airbag and the vehicle floor to control the height of the airbag as it is deployed. The airbag may have a round tubular shape in the deployed position. The airbag may have a rectangular shape in the deployed position. The airbag may have a triangular shape in the deployed position. The airbag in the deployed position may extend along the entire width of the vehicle floor.
The airbag may include a first tube, a second tube, and a chamber disposed between the first tube and the second tube. In the deployed position, the first and second tubes may be at an oblique angle relative to each other. The chamber may be adjacent the vehicle floor and directly interconnect the first and second tubes such that the first and second tubes are spaced apart from each other when the airbag is deployed. Alternatively, the chamber may be spaced from the vehicle floor and directly interconnect the first and second tubes such that the first and second tubes are spaced apart from each other when the airbag is deployed. The airbag may generally form a frustum of a cone and have a height sufficient to limit movement of the vehicle occupant's knees when the airbag is deployed.
The airbag assembly further includes an inflator coupled to the airbag such that the inflator is configured to inflate the airbag, a controller in electronic communication with the inflator, a tether-length adjustment mechanism in electronic communication with the controller, an airbag-position adjustment mechanism in electronic communication with the controller, a camera in electronic communication with the controller, an accelerometer in electronic communication with the controller, and a pressure sensor coupled to the vehicle seat and in electronic communication with the controller. The pressure sensor is configured to detect whether the vehicle seat is occupied by a vehicle occupant. The tether-length adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust a length of the at least one tether. The camera system is configured to locate a position of a leg of a vehicle occupant and measure a length of the leg. The airbag-position adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust a position of the airbag with respect to a floor of the vehicle. The controller is programmed to: detecting, by a controller, that a vehicle occupant is seated on a vehicle seat based on a pressure signal received from a pressure sensor; determining, by the controller, a position of a leg of the vehicle occupant relative to a floor of the vehicle based on image data from the camera system in response to determining that the vehicle occupant is seated on the vehicle seat; determining, by the controller, a length of a leg of the vehicle occupant based on image data from the camera system in response to determining that the vehicle occupant is seated on the vehicle seat; directing, by the controller, an airbag-position adjustment mechanism to adjust a position of an airbag relative to a floor of the vehicle based on a position of a leg of the vehicle occupant; and directing, by the controller, the tether length adjustment mechanism to adjust a height of the airbag relative to a floor of the vehicle based on a length of a leg of the vehicle occupant. Further, the controller is programmed to: determining whether the vehicle is subjected to an external force based on an acceleration signal from the accelerometer; and in response to determining that the vehicle is subjected to the external force, commanding the inflator to inflate the airbag. The controller is further programmed to: it is determined whether the vehicle has not been subjected to an external force based on the acceleration signal from the accelerometer, and in response to determining that the vehicle has not been subjected to an external force, the position of the leg of the vehicle occupant relative to the vehicle floor is again determined based on image data from the camera system.
Methods for controlling operation of the airbag assembly are also described. The method comprises the following steps: (a) detecting, by a controller, that a vehicle occupant is seated on a vehicle seat based on a pressure signal received from a pressure sensor; (b) determining, by the controller, a position of a leg of the vehicle occupant relative to a floor of the vehicle based on image data from the camera system in response to determining that the vehicle occupant is seated on the vehicle seat; (c) determining, by the controller, a length of a leg of the vehicle occupant based on image data from the camera system in response to determining that the vehicle occupant is seated on the vehicle seat; (d) directing, by the controller, an airbag-position adjustment mechanism to adjust a position of an airbag relative to a floor of the vehicle based on a position of a leg of the vehicle occupant; and (e) commanding, by the controller, the tether-length adjustment mechanism to adjust a height of the airbag relative to a floor of the vehicle based on a length of a leg of the vehicle occupant.
The method may further include determining whether the vehicle has been subjected to an external force based on the acceleration signal from the accelerometer; and in response to determining that the vehicle has been subjected to the external force, commanding, by the controller, the inflator to inflate the airbag. The method may further include determining, by the controller, whether the vehicle is not subjected to the external force based on the acceleration signal from the accelerometer, and in response to determining that the vehicle is not subjected to the external force, re-determining, by the controller, a position of a leg of the vehicle occupant relative to a floor of the vehicle based on image data from the camera system.
A vehicle is also described that includes a vehicle body and a vehicle floor connected to the vehicle body. The vehicle body and the vehicle floor collectively define a passenger compartment. The vehicle system further comprises an airbag assembly as described above.
The above features and advantages and other features and advantages are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best modes for carrying out the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
Drawings
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a vehicle including an airbag assembly according to the present disclosure.
FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the vehicle seat and airbag assembly of FIG. 1, wherein the airbag assembly includes an airbag depicted in a stowed position.
FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the vehicle seat and airbag assembly of FIG. 1 depicting the airbag in a deployed position.
Fig. 4 is a schematic perspective view of an airbag having a rectangular shape.
Fig. 5 is a schematic perspective view of an airbag having a triangular shape.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an airbag having two tubes and a chamber adjacent the floor of a vehicle.
FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view of an airbag having two tubes and a chamber spaced from the vehicle floor.
FIG. 8 is a schematic side view of an airbag having a height sufficient to limit movement of a knee of a vehicle occupant.
Figure 9 is a schematic front view of the airbag shown in figure 8.
FIG. 10 is a schematic view of a vehicle including the airbag assembly shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 11 is a flow chart of a method for controlling the operation of the airbag shown in FIG. 1.
Detailed Description
Referring to fig. 1, the present invention describes a
With continued reference to fig. 1, the
Referring to fig. 1, 2 and 3, the
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Referring to fig. 8 and 9, the
Referring to fig. 10, as discussed above, the
With continued reference to fig. 10, the
With continued reference to FIG. 10, the
The
Referring to fig. 11, the controller 36 (fig. 10) is programmed to execute a
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While the best modes for carrying out the invention have been described in detail, those familiar with the art to which this invention relates will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for practicing the invention within the scope of the appended claims.
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